2 Best Restaurants in Bunratty Castle, County Clare, Galway, and the Aran Islands

Adjoining the village's only thatched cottage that isn't in the folk park, gastropub JP Clarke's has an airy, mountain-lodge style interior with a brightly painted, vernacular exterior. On a sunny day, diners eat in the front garden space or can request seating under a glass roof. The menu is reasonably priced and straightforward---and the highlights are the daily specials listed on chalkboards throughout the premises. It's popular with locals so reservations are recommended.

This fine little eatery packs a punch in the local dining scene, harvesting the best of local produce from the sea and land. Operated by the Wallace family in a modern, stone-and-plaster inn on the western perimeter of the village, the style and presentation of the food comes with five-star finesse. The interior has a horse-themed decor, reflecting a strong segment of the restaurant's clientele. Menu samples include pan-seared scallops, honey-glazed duck, or wild mushroom--and-spinach pappardelle pasta.